Big news in the world of Microsoft-Activision! Toys for Bob, the makers of the Skyalanders game, the Spyro Re-Ignited Trilogy, and Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, have just announced they're going independent. This means they no longer have ties to Activision or Microsoft, but can instead focus on any projects they choose. Toys for Bob was acquired by Activision in 2005, and have been relegated to working on Call of Duty since 2021, after Crash 4 launched.

The company's statement, which you can read in full below, makes it sound like they've already started working on a new project that's not tied to an existing IP, instead focusing on new stories, characters and gameplay. That said, they're still open to working with Microsoft in a possible partnership. Considering the quality of the Spyro games and Crash 4, the pipe dream would be Banjo-Kazooie/Tooie remakes and/or Banjo-Threeie. But we'll have to wait and see what comes next for them.

Quote From Toys for Bob

We’re thrilled to announce that Toys for Bob is spinning off as an independent game development studio!

Over the years, we've inspired love, joy, and laughter for the inner child in all gamers. We pioneered new IP and hardware technologies in Skylanders. We raised the bar for best-in-class remasters in Spyro Reignited Trilogy. We’ve taken Crash Bandicoot to innovative, critically acclaimed new heights.

With the same enthusiasm and passion, we believe that now is the time to take the studio and our future games to the next level. This opportunity allows us to return to our roots of being a small and nimble studio.

To make this news even more exciting, we’re exploring a possible partnership between our new studio and Microsoft. And while we’re in the early days of developing our next new game and a ways away from making any announcements, our team is excited to develop new stories, new characters, and new gameplay experiences.

Our friends at Activision and Microsoft have been extremely supportive of our new direction and we’re confident that we will continue to work closely together as part of our future.  

So, keep your horns on and your eyes out for more news. Thank you to our community of players for always supporting us through our journey. We can't wait to share updates on our new adventure as an indie studio!  

Talk to you soon!

What do you think of Toys for Bob going indie? What kind of games are you expecting from the studio in the future? Who is Bob and why does he need so many toys? Let us know in the comments below!